Cross system of abbreviated numbers



Sept. 14 1926. 1,599,655

M. T. CROSS CROSS SYSTEM OF ABBREVIATED NUMBERS Filed Feb. 16, 1925 liz ORE.

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Patented Sept. 1a., 1926.

- UNITEYSTATES PATENT MEIR-TON TERENCE CROSS, F PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-TWENTIETH '10 HIRAM OSTERMAN, TWO AND ONE-HALF PER CENT T0 GEORGE A. LOVEJ'OY, AND TWO AND ONE-HALF PER CENT TO M. K. HALL, ALL OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

cnos's srsrmr or nnnanvrarnn NUMBERS.

Applieation filed. February 16, -1925. Serial No. 9,647.

My invention relates to, and has to do with an abbreviated. system of numbering, and

Y is particularly'adapted for use upon motor vehicle license plates.

% Objects of my invention comprise a cross system of numbering wherein but five charactors are required, or rather the five spaces are required to portray or delineate numbers that are ordinarily represented in a much larger number of spaces.

, Further objects of my invention is to break up the characters in alignment and size to make more legible the characters represented.

Further objects of my invention is to make the decodingof the same readily understood,

and easily attained.

The use of my system of abbreviated numbering is adapted to the numbering of build- 39 ings in cities, land subdivisions, factory consecutive numbers, and in fact for all numbering requirements wherein it is desirable to read the numbers, at sight, and where a high degree of legibility is desired.

1 attain these results asoutlined in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a representatiye plate for use in displaying an automobile tag in whichall of the numbers and the letters are of the same height.

.Fig. 2 is a plan view of a representat ve plate wherein the central space of a ser1es of numerals'is separated by a letter of a greater height than that of the adjacent numerals and wherein a part of the difference in height is placed equi-distant above and below the. general alignment of the numerals.

Fig. 3 is similar ingeneral arrangement to that described for Fig. 1 but difi'ering therefrom in a different letter being. used. This figure is also a plan view of a representative plate.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a representative plate similarto that of Fig. 2 but differing, only, in that a different letter is used in the central position.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a representative plate of five characters, four of which are numerals, the central character being that of a letter, but-is here .shown to be of a smaller size than that of the two numerals located at either side of the same.

central character being larger than thetwo The number to be represented by the charac-' Fig. 7 is a plan view of a representative 'plate, having displayed thereupon five characters, all'of which may be numerals, the central character being larger than the two located at either side of same and the bottom line of the characters being in alignment.

' Fig. 8 is a plan view of a representative plate, having displayed thereupon five characters, all of which may be numerals, the

located at either side of the same. The two characters located at either side of the central character having a top and bottom alignment, and the central character extending above and'below the alignment of the adjacent characters located at either side of the same.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a representative plate,h'aving displayed thereupon five char acters, all of'which may be numerals, the central character being smaller than the two located at either side of the same. The two characters located at either side of the central'character being in line at the top and bottom and the central character being small is so placed that the top and bottom line is of an equal distance from the top and bottom alignment of the side adj'acent characters.

Fig. lOis a plan view of a representative 99 plate, having displayed thereupon five characters, all of whichmay be numerals. Two of the characters being located at the left, and three of the characters being at the right of a space provided therebetween, the upper and lower extremities of the characters may b so placed as to form an alignment of the characters.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views- 1. Is the plate upon which are placed five characters, which may be represented by numerals, or a combination of numerals and other characters, as letters of the alphabet.

Mllil ters depending upon the, location of the central character in its relation with the adjacent characters located at either side of the same.

Referring to Fig. 1 I have here shown a central character here represented by the capital letter H, having to the left thereof two numerals 25 and to the right of the central character 16 all in the order delineated, this is an arbitrary arrangement and may be interpreted to mean 325,816 for the following reason. The letter H is here shown in the third position in the series of characters and therefore represents 3 in my system of abbreviatednumbers and is taken as the initial numeral in the system. The next two characters being the numerals 25 form the first three numerals to be represented in my system. The letter H being the eighth letter in the English alphabet as at present used may be determined to be the numeral 8 as well as an initial numeral 3 because of its location in the series of third position. The final two numerals are interpreted as delineated 16, therefore the six numeral number of 325,816 is represented by the five characters. This arrangement may be made to denote any number up 'to and including 500,000 by a rearrangement of the location of the letter character and the selection of a sutiicient number of letters to compensate for the numerals tobe displaced.

Fig. 2 has four numerals two at either'side of the central character which is here represented as a large capital H. The series to be delineated by this series will include 500,001 to 999,999 and will be accomplished by the central character representing a raise of 5 units over that as represented by the central character being of a height not greater nor smaller than that of the adjacent numerals located at either side of the same. The number here represented being five units higher in the initial numeral would represent 825,816.

It is intended by my series as represented in the figures from 1 to 5 inclusive to de lineate numbers up to 2,500,000, by an addition of 5 units to the initial number as delineated by the location or selection, or both, of characters as outlined in these figures. The number represented upon Fig. 3 is 3,251,916. The number represented upon Fig. 4 is 8,251,916. The number represented upon Fig. 5 is 2,325,816.

I have shown in the figures "from 6 to 10 inclusive a difierent arbitrary arrangement of characters, all of which may be numerals to delineate a number of even a higher order with an equal number of characters all of which may be numerals,

in Fig. 6 the central character 2 being in the third position would represent the initial number of three in the series, there fore the number as represented upon the plate would be 380,267. This representation is made wherein the central character and the ad acent characters at either side all have a uniform top alignment, and where in the central character extends below the bottom alignment of the adjacent characters at either side of the same. This representation maintains wherever the numbers to be denoted reach up and include 500.000.

The numerals denoted upon the plate as represented in Fig. 7 is intended to represent the numbers from 500,001 to 999,999. The numerals or characters of this series all have a uniform bottom alignment and the central numeral 2 as here represented extends above the top alignment of the adjacent numerals located at either side of the same. The number here represented being 880,267, since the central character 2 being in the third position represents 3 to which I arbitrarily add 5 additional units making 8 as the initial or first numeral of the series upon the plate.

The series of numerals or numbers to be denoted upon the plates to be represented by the groupings in Fig. 8 have ten units added to the number of a higher order than that actually denoted upon the plate. The number here represented in the central poition being the numeral 2 and the same bemg in third position, ten units would be added making the initial numerals 13 and the number denoted 1,380,267 This series is intended to. denote the numbers from 1,000,000 to 1,500,000. In this series the central character as here represented is larger than those at either side and the same extends, both, above and below the top and bottom alignment of the characters located at either side of the same.

. The series of numbers to be denoted upon the plates as represented in Fig. 9 will be from 1,500,001 to 2,000,000, inclusive and is arrived at by the addition of fifteen units to the position of the key character. The key character being in third position as here represented. Fifteen units would. be added to the three as denoted from third position, therefore the initial numerals would be 18 and the number to be represented would be 1,880,267. As here denoted the key numeral is the numeral 2 and T have shown the same in third position. The key numeral as here denoted has a top alignment and bottom alignment falling within the top and bottom alignment of the adjacent characters. This increases the legibility very greatly over the legibility wherein numbers denoted by this series would be two numerals greater than that denoted by my method.

For the purpose "of presentation and to further describe my cross system of abbreviated numbers, it have left a vacant space in the series of characters as denoted upon the noted by, thisspace,-which is here shown as lilo plate of Fig. 10. The key numeral is debeing in the third location or third position and which would denote the numeral three by In system. It is intended to represent by this seriestwenty additional units to that actually represented, therefore the initial numerals would be 23 and the number denoted would" be 2,380,267. This series of numbers.

would represent numbers from 2,000,001 to 2,500,000 inclusive.

In my cross system of abbreviated numbers I have described two methods of using the same and have described its operation, with the key character in the central location, but this was done for the purpose of explanation. The location of the key character determines its unit value in the code.

While the system herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfil the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form, or forms, of embodiment herein shown and described, as it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scopeof the claims which follow.

What I claim is:

1. In a license tag, a delineated surface, a group of numerals of equal height disposed thereon, a key character of predetermined height disposed within said group of numerals, the position and height of the said key character determining the numerical Value of the group.

2. In a license tag, a delineated surface, a group of numerals of equal height disposed thereon, a key letter of predetermined height disposed within said group of numerals, the

position and height of the said key letter determining the numerical value of the group.-

MERTON TERENCE CROSS. 

